Adjustable number plate frame



May 10,1932. J, CORLEY- 1,857,141

ADJUSTABLE NUMBER PLATE FRAME Original Filed'Feb. 28, 1929 A eLgpo IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 10, 1932 JoHiI 'r. CORLEY, oF rRovInEncE, 311cm: ISLAND PAT NT OFFI ADJUSTABLE NUMBER PLATE FRAME.

Application filed February 28, 1929, Serial No. 343,469. Renewed September 25, 1931.

This invention relates to an improved construction of number plate frame for use more particularly on motor vehicles to support the plates and serve as handsome finish about the edge thereof; and the object of the invention is to provide such a frame with corner members having side and end extendin portions, each eXtending portion having a flange part and a finishing channel shaped edge part, a portion of the channel part of one member being formed smaller to slide in that of the adjacent part of the other corner member and openings being provided along the length of the flange portions of both to register with each other and with the bolt holes in the different number plates when the frame is adj usted to embrace number plates of diflerent slzes.

A further object of the invention is to form bolt-receiving holes in the corners of the members, preferably elongated diagonally, so as to register with diiferentlypositioned bolt holes in the corners of the diflerent number plates.

A further object of the invention is to reduce the end portion only of the channel part of two of the corner members from the raised portions at'the bend to a size to enter the channel in the adjacent part of the next mems her thereby presenting a more uniform ap pearance to the finishing edge part of the dif ferent corner members when located about theedge of the number plate.

With these and other objects in view, the

"invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claim. g p In the accompanying drawings 1 Fig. 1 is a front view of my improved ad justable frame with a number plate secured to the same.

Fig. 2 is a front View of'the frame with the plate removed, showing the parts of the corner members as adjustably engaging each other.

Fig. 3 is a rear view of the frame showing the parts of the corner members slidably engaging each other.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing one only at the middle portion of the of the corner members with the finishing channel-shaped portion as raised from the plane of the flange portions and the flange portion as being provided with spaced openings along its length. I a

' Fig. 5 shows'a cooperating corner'member with the finishing channel edge part reduced for that portion of its'length only which is designed to enter the channel part of the adjacent member.

Fig. 6 sh0ws'the flange part of one of the corner'members as having a slot along its length to register with the holes in the adj acent overlapping flange. I

Fig. 7 is a section on line 77 of Fig. 1 showing the diagonally-disposed bolt-receiving slot in its corner;

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 2, showing. the two overlapping parts of the dilferent corner members with the flange openings registering to receive the securing bolts.

Fig.9 is a section on line 9 9 of Fig. 1, showing the number plate and the frame as secured by the binding bolt to the plate-carrying bracket.

Fig. 10 is a front view ofanumber plate showing the securing bolt receiving holes therein. V f v Fig. 11 is a view showing the reduced portion of the channel part of the diflerent corner members so arranged as to be exposed plate, both at its sides and at its ends. 1 s

It is found in practice ofadvantage to provide a-frame having adjustable portions to fit plates of diflf'erentsizes and to provide a fin ishing edge part on some of the corner members of a reduced size to slide along the cor-o responding part of the opposite corner mem her and to provide openings along the length of the flange portion of the corner members which will registerwith each other and also with the openingsin plates of'difl'erent sizes when adjusted to embrace plates of diflerent dimensions. By myimproved construction thenu-mber plate when bolted "to the frame serves to reinforce andstiffen the frame and bind all of its parts'firmly together and the frame also on the other hand serves in addition to forming a finish for the edge of the plate to stiflen the plate and protect it from injury; and the following is a detailed description of thepresent embodiment of my invention and showing means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished.

With reference to the drawings, 10 designates one of the corner members which is formed from sheet stock having an extending side portion 11 and an extending end portion 12, each portion h-avinga flange-part 13 forming" aseat against which the number plate 17 is secured and also having a channel-shaped edge portion 1a raisedfrom the plane of thefront face of the'flange and preferably curved rearwardlyto form a finishing edge about; the frame, the shoulder or wall portion 15 formed by the raising ofthe edge stock serving as. an abutment forthe edge 16 of the number plate to limit the contracting adjustment of the corner members when positioned to embrace this plate. At. the outer end of the rear edgeof the-channel part, I have formed aninwardly extending guide finger 18; also I have formed at intervals guidecfingers 19 on the lower edge of the flange part to guide the corresponding flange portion of the adjacent corner member when slid into position behind the front corner flange part. 7

The flange parts 21 onthe opposite corner members are substantially the same as those on the corner member 10. The channel edge portion 22 of this corner member 20 being reduced as atv2 l at its ends 23 for aportion ofv its length an amount equal to substantially the thickness of the metal so that this reduced part will slide into the channel part 'ofthe next adjacent corner member and be supported therein by-the. channel finger 18 and the flange finger 19.

' ferent sizes 'andthese; flanges when, adjusted to" 'receivegsuch differently sized plates, in

p The usual number plate 17 is provided with corner bolt holes 34by whichit may be secured by bolts 26 t0 the frame and is also provided with slots 35-thru'whichbo1ts 27 may be passed to boltthe frame and the plate to the supporting bracket 28 on the vehicle,

see Fig. 9, and in, order that these fastening bolts may extend thru the frame, I have provided diagonally disposed corner slots 36 in the flange parts of the frame, whereby by being diagonally disposed these slots will register with the holes 34 in the plate even the these holes Vary in position to a. slight extent as is usual in V the punching of such plates. I I

Also in order to; permit the passage ofthe bolts 27- th-ru the plate and thru the frame,

I have provided a plurality of holes 30 spaced alongrthe length of therflange part 13 and insome instances, I also provide a slot; 31 in thecorresponding flange part 32 soas to. permit the bolt 27 to pass thru plates of: diforder tobolt the frame and plate to the bracket 28 of the vehicle.

In some instances, I may reduce the channel edge portion beginning at points adjacent the corner, as shown in Fig. 5, while in other instances, as shown in Fig. 11, I extend the full size channel edge part aconsiderable distance beyond the bend at the corner so that the reduced portion 38 on both sides as well as on both ends of the frame will show at the middle portions ofboththe sides and ends of the frame. 7 Myimproved frame for number plates is very simple and inexpensive to construct as the same may be cut and stamped from sheet stock to provide a flange as a. seat forthe plate and a channel edgeportionas aha-nclr some finish about the edge: of the:plate, the members of the frame being punched to provide bolt-receiving holes, whereby plates of different sizes may be readilyfastened there.

to and holes are also provided in the frame adapted to register with eachother and with the holes indifferentsizes ofplates for fastening the frame and plate to the brackets of vehicles. 4 c

The foregoin description is directed solely towards the construction illustrated,

but I desire it to be understood that I reservethe privi-legeof resorting to a1l the mechanical changes to which the deviceis susceptible, the invention being defined and limited only by the terms of the appended claim.

I claim In a frame for number plates, four L-.

shaped members formed of sheet stock each having, a long side; and a short side, thesides of two members each having-aflangepart and a channel-shaped edge part raised from the plane of the flange part, the sides of the other two-each havingaflange part of smaller width than the flange partsof the firsttwo members, a channel-shaped edge part having a widthv adjacent the; corner: the same as the width, of the edge parts of the first two anembers, anda widthgat the end portionsv less than that of the edge parts of theifirst two members, wherebythe sides of saidother two. members slidably fitinto-the sides of said first two members, and guide: fingers: on. theedge and the flange parts of. the first two members to guidethe slidably fitting parts.

of the other two members, the overlapping flange parts ofthe'interfitting long sides having openings along their length to. selectively register foraccommodatingthe bolts of different sized number plates. v y

In testimony WhBIBOfI aflix'my signature.

7 T. CORLEY. 

